"He commended the firefighters and emergency services for their efforts to protect the community and prays that assistance and support will be speedily available to those who have lost their homes or are otherwise affected."

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Archbishop Doyle said a special bushfire collection would be taken up at all Masses in parishes across Tasmania this weekend.

The money raised will be directed to the St Vincent de Paul Society Tasmania Vinnies Bushfire Appeal.

Lovely gesture from Benedict XVI stepping into the vacuum of moral support for Tassie fire victims and firefighters alike - obviously the Holy Spirit was on vacation (again) just before the fires and the Lord doesn't actually get involved in putting out fires, but rather works in mysterious ways to grow market share!

And Vatican currency obviously does not convert into Tasmanian local currency

I remember in 2011, there was a big drought issue in the US. Particularly hard hit was Texas, where most of the state was either under severe drought conditions or on fire. Good True Christian Governor Rick Perry (one of God's many personally chosen yet failed candidates for President) urged Texans to pray for rain. No rain came, the fires continued to burn, wells were dry, agriculture and horticulture suffered terribly, and still NO MIRACLE RAIN! Isn't God great?

It's nice seeing that the Pope is actually concerned for the well being of other people. Still, it is confirmation as much as anything that we are on our own, and can not and should not expect any help from the divine.

It's also important to note that the Pope is asking people in Tasmania to donate to his church's fire fighting cause. It's not like the Vatican Bank is cutting them a check for a few million (which they most certainly have) or auctioning off the Pope's golden throne, or sending vast quantities of airborne fire retardant, or anything of the sort. Nope, it's just "Hey, maybe you people could give us your money so that we can (maybe) use it to do something to help this problem." Or, the people could instead use their money to directly combat the problem, without the Catholic Church taking their cut of the money (which they most likely will).

God doesn't help those who help themselves. People who help themselves help themselves, and should give themselves the proper credit, instead of attributing it to magic.

But instead of relying on miracles and divine influence, the Pope is urging regular, mundane, secular solutions to a real life problem. In other words, the Pope can't even put his money where his mouth is. No one really ever expects a wildfire to be put out by any means other than those that are man-made (or to just burn itself out naturally), not even the Pope. So what good is religion if the benefits GUARANTEED to those of faith can not be relied upon at all to provide any meaningful solution to a problem?

Tasmania Police were still searching properties around Dunalley and to the north of the town following concerns that as many as 100 locals and visitors were unaccounted for.

As far as I've read/heard (and I have followed this with much interest as it is exactly my neck of the woods and directly involves people I know and lifelong friends of mine) the police only ever expressed concern about 1 (one) potential fatality. Please understand I do not mean to lessen the impact or terror and tragedy of this event, I have spoken to friends who had to run for safety three times in 36 hours (windshifts) the threat is/was no joke.

But the story reminds me of the 1967 Tassy bushfires (which I well remember) where it was reported in at least one US newspaper that the entire population of Tasmania was evacuated by an american submarine. (I remember the image of the newsprint story)

« Last Edit: January 09, 2013, 06:55:03 PM by kin hell »

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"...but on a lighter note, demons were driven from a pig today in Gloucester." Bill Bailey